Ground vase



Nov. 24, 1970 A. s. CARLSON 3,541,727

GROUND VASE Filed May 16. 1968 INVENTOR AXZ 5'. 6454 50/1/ A TTUE/VEJ 5 United States Patent U.S. Cl. 4741.1 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention is an improvement in ground vases as used in cemeteries and memorials and the like. The ground vase is of the type having a housing for the vase with a cover for the housing hinged to a lift rod. The improvements reside in a skirt provided on the cover and around the hinge connections of the lift rod so that debris cannot fall into the lift rod aperture when the cover is lifted. Also the lift rod itself is made to have a cross section to fully occupy the lift rod aperture for the same purpose. Additionally, the housing for the vase is provided at the top with an annular tapered surface having abutments thereon which a flange on the underside of the cover can seat, the tapered surface preventing debris from catching and being retained thereon.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to ground vases such as are commonly used in cemeteries and memorial parks and the like. The herein invention is directed to improvements over ground vases of the types shown in Pats. Nos. 2,438,- 802; 2,610,443; 2,676,434; 2,710,941; 2,898,705; and 3,190,039.

The herein invention is directed particularly to improvements in ground vases of the type shown in Pat. No. 3,190,039. Ground vases of this type embody a cylindrical housing which forms a well to receive a vase. The housing has a top ground level base plate with an opening over the vase, there being a cover adapted to cover this opening in the ground base plate. The cover is hinged to a lift rod which extends down through an opening formed in the ground level base plate into a channel or well in the housing.

The housing is embedded in the ground as described with the base plate at ground level. The prior art has presented difficulties that in view of these circumstances it was very easy for debris to fall through it. Commonly in prior art devices an annular ledge forming a square shoulder was provided at the upper part of the housing and the cover plate had an annular rib which would rest on this housing or on spaced lugs on the ledge. Since the ledge formed a square shoulder it was easy for dirt and/or debris to catch on it and to be retained on it so as to interfere with the closing of the cover plate or such that the cover plate did not seat properly and since it is disposed at ground level the passing of a vehicle wheel or the like over it would damage it. Another deficiency of the-prior art was that when the cover plate was lifted the aperture in the base plate for the lift rod was either wholly or partly exposed so that dirt and debris could fall down into the assembly with possible undesired results. The herein invention overcomes this deficiency by providing a skirt on the underside of the cover plate around the hinge connection of the lift rod and shaped to fit into the lift rod aperture to prevent the falling of debris into the aperture upon the initial lifting of the cover plate. Additionally, the herein invention provides for constructing the lift rod to have a cross sectional configuration at the upper part thereon so as completely fill and occupy the lift rod aperture as the lift rod is moved up through it to prevent passage of debris into the aperture.

In the light of the foregoing, the primary object of the invention is to provide improvements in ground vases of the type described constituting an improved configuration at the upper end of the housing to prevent retention of diebris and the like at the seating surface of the cover p ate.

Another object is to provide an improvement wherein the falling of dirt or debris and the like into the lift aperture is prevented by particular mechanical means as referred to in the foregoing.

Further objects and additional advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a preferred form of the inventron;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing the hinged connection of the cover plate to the lift rod with the cover in open position;

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the underside of the cover plate;

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective exploded view of the housing and ground level base plate therefor.

Referring now more in detail to the various figures of the drawings, the housing or container for the ground vase is generally cylindrical as shown at 10. At one side it has an extending part 12 forming a longitudinal gen erally rectangular channel or well. At the upper end of the housing are extending lugs 14 having apertures to which a ground level base plate 16 may be attached by means of screws as shown at 18 which are received in the screw openings in bosses shown at 20 in the underside of the over plate. The base plate is generally ring shaped and at the periphery of the annular ring is a downwardly extending strengthening flange 26. The base plate has a cylindrical part 30 which seats on the upper edge of the housing 10 and spaced inwardly from this part is an annular flange 32, the upper surface of which is tapered as shown at 34. Equally angularly spaced around the tapered surface are lugs or abutments 36 on which the cover seats as described. They are rounded on top so as to not retain dirt and debris.

The ground vase itself is designated at 40. It is a cylindrical container or vessel and may be of a type known in the prior art. When it is in position its upper edge fits within the flange 32 as described so that its upper edge is just below the edge of the tapered surface 34.

The base plate has a generally rectangular lift rod aperture or opening 42 formed in it, in the part outwardly of the flange 32 and tapered surface 34. The inner diameter of the opening in the base plate is designated 44 and around the edge of this opening there is provided a rib 46 which inhibits the passing of silt and the like into the opening when the covered is opened. It will be observed that this rib extends along the side edges of the lift rod opening 42, as shown at 45 and 47.

The cover itself is designated at 50. It has an annular flange or rib 52 on its underside and a slight lip 54 around its peripheral edge. At one side or more exactly at the back the cover plate has an extending tab part 56 which is hingedly connected to the lift rod designated at 60. The lift rod is a rod which provides means whereby the vase can be lifted out of the housing 10 and this construction may be like that shown in Pat. No. 3,190,039, this construction specifically not forming a part of the improvements of the herein invention. The upper part of the lift rod 60 as designated at 62 is formed to have a configuration to fully occupy the lift rod aperture or opening 42 when the lift rod is lifted as maybe seen in FIG. 3. On the underside of the tab 56 of the cover plate 50 there is a relatively narrow lug 74 which fits between the is generally rectangular in cross section. It is of U-shape having a yoke part 68 and extending legs 70 and 72 and being open on one side. At the upper end of the lift rod 60 there is a relatively narrow lug 74 which fits between the legs 70 and 72 of the skirt 66 and it is pivotally attached or hinged thereto by a hinge pin 76. FIGS. 2 and 4 show the relationship of the parts when the cover is closed. It will be noted in FIG. 2 that the yoke part 68 of the skirt 66 comes into a position in the lift aperture 42 just outwardly of the flange 32 and the tapered surface 34. As will be observed in FIG. 4 the peripheral lip 54 on the underside of the cover plate 50 which extends along the sides of the tab 56 comes into a position adjacent to the straight parts 45 and 47 of the top rib on the base plate 16. Preferably the base plate is formed with spaced ribs or braces as shown at 80 in FIG. 4 which extend from the circular part of the base plate outwardly and underneath the annular ring part 24. They may be integrally formed with the base plate. This type of construction is one which is possible by die casting of this member from zinc and a top base plate made in this way be utilized with the type of construction shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 of Pat. No. 3,190,039 wherein no cover plate is used.

From the foregoing description it will be observed that with the cover as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 the skirt 66 fitting into the lift rod aperture of 42, the yoke part 68 of the skirt is adjacent to the flange 30 and tapered rib 34. When the cover is lifted by manually engaging the lift recess 82 the back edge of the tab 56 engages the surface of the base plate 16, that is the rib portions 45 and 47 so as to lift the lift rod towards a position as shown in FIG. 3. Although the hinge pin 76 is below the cover 50 the geometry as between the position of pin 76 and the radial extension of the tab 56 is such that the lever action will lift the hinge pin and lift rod and the skirt 66 will be lifted out of the aperture 34. Upon the skirt 66 coming out of the aperture 42 the upper part of the lift rod 62 will be drawn into it and it is of a size and shape to fully occupy this aperture so that during all stages of the operation dirt and debris are prevented from going into the aperture. When opening, the cover 50 may be tilted back as shown in FIG. 3 beyond an upright position so that it holds itself open until manually closed.

From the foregoing those skilled in the art will readily understand and appreciate the nature and construction of the invention and the manner in which it achieves and realizes all of the objects and advantages as set forth in the foregoing as well as the many additional advantages that are apparent from the detailed description.

The foregoing disclosure is representative of a preferred form of the invention and is to be interpreted in an illustrative rather that a limiting sense the invention to be accorded the full scope of the claims appended here- What is claimed is:

1. In a ground vase assembly having a housing for recerving a vase; said housing having a ground level base plate at the upper part thereof, having a vase aperture adapted to receive a vase; a movable cover plate seated on sa1d base plate overlying and closing said aperture; a 11ft r od pivoted at its upper end to said cover plate and extending downwardly therefrom, into said housing, through a lift rod aperture adjacent said vase aperture the pivot connection between said lift rod and cover plate be1ng such that when said cover plate is moved to open position said lift rod rises through said lift rod aperture; the 1mprovement comprising; a depending skirt on the underside of said cover plate enclosing said pivot connection and being configured to snugly fill said lift rod aperture when the cover plate is closed to prevent debris from falllng into said housing through said lift rod aperture; the upper end of said lift rod, within said skirt be ng of reduced cross-section and the portion below said skirt be1ng dimensioned to snugly slidably fit said lift rocl aperture and thereby prevent debris from falling into said houslng through said lift rod aperture when said cover plate is in open position.

2. A ground vase assembly as defined in claim 1 includmga downwardly and inwardly sloping ledge around the perlphery of said vase aperture and below the upper surface of said cover plate; a plurality of upwardly extendlng spaced projections on said ledge each having a rounded top; and an annular flange depending from said cover plate into said vase aperture and resting on said rounded tops when said cover plate is closed.

3. A ground vase assembly as in claim 1 wherein the said skirt comprises a U-shaped member having a yoke part and sides normal thereto with the upper end of said lift rod pivotally attached between the sides.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,784,621 12/1930 Boyer 47 411 2,710,491 6/1955 Carlson 47 41:1 3,190,039 6/1965 Carlson 47-41.1

ROBERT E. BAGWILL, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 220-18 

